Days like today fill me with joy and gratitude. I love that we get to create jewelry and that people appreciate and collect what we make. It was a windy day in Santa Monica but still people came down to see us. It was a mix of regulars and first timers. Heard in the store today: –This is the only jewelry store I ever go to, I get everything here, for me, for gifts. – We love supporting local artists, we only buy from independent designers –I live in Silverlake but I always come here for jewelry. – You made this? That’s so amazing, I love your style. – This is my new favorite jewelry store!
Tyson was organizing wax sculptures made in class by our students to send off to be cast, but kept being pulled aside by people interested in his collection. Paige was inventing new fun necklaces and earrings with bows, arrows and wings. I arranged all the amazing jewelry we got in from Corinne Simon, another Accents designer that we love. Accents was buzzing with creativity and almost every single piece we sold today was made by someone that works or has worked here.
A three year old girl received her first necklace. A guy brought in a crystal he found in the desert and Paige wire wrapped a cage around it so he could wear it. Someone will get a one of a kind pearl necklace that I made for her birthday in a couple of days. A couple from South Africa purchased Steven Hanna’s protection charm bracelet to bring home as a souvenir. A mom and son designed a charm necklace together. A first time customer fell in love with several rings at once.
It’s a great gift to be an artist that gets to sell directly to the customer. It gives you a direct line of communication, instant feedback, a communion of sorts when creator and wearer meet and bond over a shared experience: the love of a stone or a shape, a design, a form. We are lucky to get to experience this everyday, and we are grateful that you want to experience it with us.
Johanna, Santa Monica 4/2/14